Ecomm hamster power

Radio hams involved in future emergency communications set-ups where no form of power is available might want to plan on bringing some hamsters along.
Yes, we said hamsters.

Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, has the rest of the story:

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are, indeed, looking at hamsters as subjects capable of producing electricity by wearing a power-generating jacket - if you will - that responds to the animal's movements.

Wait! Don't go just yet. This is real.

And, in fact, it's research supported by your tax dollars courtesy of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency - also known as DARPA, the Department of Energy, and the Air Force.

According to the online news service, Science Daily, at the heart of the experiment is use of nanotechnology to harness this new source of energy.

The researchers claim that they can convert any mechanical disturbance or even irregular biomechanical energy into electricity.

Let's see, so that means a little hamster, fitted with one of those special jackets (wonder how they keep the darn things on) runs on a wheel in his cage and produces small amounts of electricity. Maybe enough to spark something.. hmm.

Well, that's as far as I'm going to go as far on this science lesson.

Oh, wait, there's more!

The researchers say that even tapping on your Blackberry or cell phone key pad can produce small amounts of electricity.

Does that mean I have to put one of those funny nano jackets on my finger?

Mark Abramowicz, NT3V
Amateur Radio Newsline

The bottom line: Those furry little creatures that some kids have as pets may one day be the answer to all of our emergency communications power needs.
Then again, maybe not.

Source: ARNewsline
(adapted from Science Daily)